SLO County Roundup

Grover Beach officials are looking for volunteers to participate in a “Grover Beach Beautification Day” on Saturday to help clean up the city.

Volunteers are asked to bring gloves and meet at 8 a.m. at City Hall, 154 S. Eighth St., where teams will receive assignments to clean up public areas along the city’s major streets. All work is expected to be completed by noon.

Saturday’s event coincides with a similar weeklong event — which runs through Friday — sponsored by the South County Sanitary Services.

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Grover Beach Mayor John Shoals held the first cleanup day last month, with assistance from Grover Beach council members Bill Nicolls and Karen Bright, community members and the international nonprofit organization Youth With a Mission.

“Beautification Day” is expected to occur on a monthly basis.

For more information, contact parks and recreation Director Kathy Petker by calling 473-4580 or e-mailing kpetker@grover.org.

— Cynthia Lambert

San Luis Obispo

The San Luis Obispo City Council will review and consider adopting a historic preservation ordinance Oct. 19 following revisions by staff.

The council’s discussion of the ordinance, which would impose fines of up to $10,000 on property owners, continued past midnight at its Tuesday meeting.

Dozens of residents spoke about their concerns, citing property rights and the proposed hefty penalties from noncompliance.

The council will continue its discussion of the updated preservation guidelines Oct. 5.

Any requested changes will return for consideration Oct. 19. Among the changes requested by council members were that the penalty section of the ordinance be redrafted to make it read less “punitively,” said Kim Murry, deputy director of the city’s long-range planning.

“The council wants the clear intent to be that the ordinance is helpful and looking for voluntary compliance,” Murry said. “It isn’t supposed to be punitive and search for people to fine.”

— AnnMarie Cornejo

SLO County

The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday gave the go-ahead to a proposal that would expand and increase security at its aging juvenile hall by adding beds and providing additional space for in-custody rehabilitation programs and recreation.

The county has been using the current juvenile hall in San Luis Obispo since 1981.

Should the expansion proceed to completion in 2013 or 2014, as county officials hope, the hall would have 50 detention beds and 15 additional beds in a treatment facility.

It would cost $17.5 million, with $13.1 million coming from the state Youthful Offender Block Grant program. An additional $4 million will come from the county.

The county is preparing a request for architectural proposals.

— Bob Cuddy

Central Coast

Central Coast men and women who had their military service in Iraq and Afghanistan extended under “stop loss” programs should apply for retroactive pay, according to Rep. Lois Capps, D-San Luis Obispo.

Service members have until Oct. 21 to apply for financial compensation, Capps said in a news release. Eligible troops will receive $500 a month for each month their service was extended, she wrote.

The Defense Department estimates that while 145,400 troops are eligible for retro-active pay, only 58,000 claims have been paid out.

“Our brave men and women in uniform have made tremendous sacrifices for our country in Iraq and Afghanistan,” Capps said. “They have done everything that we have asked of them.”

Those with questions about retroactive pay should contact her office at http://capps.house.gov/contact/my-offices.shtml.

For more information or to submit a claim, visit www.defense.gov/stoploss.

— Bob Cuddy

San Luis Obispo

A 33-year-old Paso Robles woman was in a rollover on Highway 101 north of San Luis Obispo on Wednesday as a result of a chain-reaction accident caused by a driver suspected of being under the influence of drugs.

The CHP said that Jennifer Eppert was driving her 2002 GMC north near Reservoir Canyon Road at 12:20 p.m. Alongside her in the fast lane was Jason Johnson, 28, of Atascadero, who was driving a 1999 Mercury. Ahead of him was Alexander Holt, 20, of San Luis Obispo.

For no apparent reason, the CHP said, Holt slammed on his brakes. To avoid crashing into him, Johnson swerved to the right, colliding with Eppert. She lost control, and her vehicle rolled over.

Holt was arrested on suspicion of felony driving under the influence and causing injuries. Eppert complained of back and neck pain.